Rock Island daily Argus., 1887-10-22
roger LAROQUE.
Adapted and Translated from the French
Of Jules Mary.
BY OLIVE HARPER.
CHAPTER XVII.

male her smile faded and her lovely violet
aves saddened. He had to show himself, to
rrv tn smile, but she remained serious.
tRaymond,n said she, something has hap
pened What is it,"
81 assure you, you are mistaken said be,
taking her hands and pressing them to his
lips ~,
aRaymond,n she continued gravely, u
have something to tell you, which will,
hone he the means OF consolidating our hap
piness,"
Their happinessl Raymond sighed.
ssYou see, she continued, my father has
also been searching for the real criminal, and
he thinks, with much reason, that he has dis
covered the wretch. If that proves true,
RAYMOND we are free to avow our love.
Come with me TO see father before you 60
home. He will be so glad to see you. Come,
LET MS harry. Then nfterwar,l we will 60 and
tell the good news to your mother, who will
be so happy, too, Raymond-yonr mother
whom love so well already"
His rnotberl He Withdrew his arm from
tile light constraint Of her hand, and then
Suzanne saw what she had not noticed before
that he was deathly pale and wan, and that
be could not look her in the eyes
IN heavens name what has happened to
render you like this e SAID she, breathless with
fear.
Nothing
"Hush. do not say that 1t is not true.
am afraid some new misery awaits us.
pray you tell me-
81 cannot 60 to your house now, Suzanne
! must go home first"
81 will 60 with you and we can talk on tht
way, and can tell you all that has happened
ana all that We hope
ssNo. Suzanne, shall be with my mother
all day, and at night | must go back to Paris
Believe me, my dear Suzanne, dearer thar
life, that am not deceiving you-n
sFeil me the truth and will, even if i
costs my life.n
Suzanne, pray you do not question me
can only say our happiness is destroyed
Our marriage cau never take place. 1t would
be the greatest misery that ever fell upon two
people"
"a great misery! 1t is but a little while
that you pretended to think it a great happi
ness. / have been told that men are tickle
know it now"
changed. shall never change, but q new
sorrow has overshadowed us, and it is one
which can never lift l pray you do not asl
me to say more; my heart is broken"
AZ believe you. So then, it is a secret be
tween us which yOu will not tell me- or can
nott'
He lowered his head
"And this secret" she continued, lis not
yours, as mine was not mine. There must be
then, something of that sort that forces yo,
to keep up before me like silence, and tina;
stains the honor of some one of your family
see you cannot answer. and that from pale
you now blush red Have divinedf'
He Joined his hands in agony and helC
them out TO her in mute supplication
Very well, Raymond Now it is my time
to say, whatever the shame, whatever tht
dishonor, love you, and shall still be proud
10 hear your name. You did not cast me of
when You learned the full measure of my
woes. Tell me, then, Raymond, tell mt
your secret You are too noble and too
proud, so that this dishonor cannot be youl
own, but l must hear, Raymond, just as yot
heard ME, so that | may consent or refuse
Do you think would refusen
''Do not ask Do not wish to know, and i
you did l should be the most unhappy O
men It is. alas. useless
Raymond, are you tired of me, and is thi
a subterfugel Please say so, if it is, though
am willing, God knows, to suffer anythin:
for you and with you. | do not wish you Il
feel that l an OF the kind that urges thei
love upon another
This is more than cruel! My life, m.
love and my souls idolatry are given to you
and you only do | Or shall l ever love"
Then since you love me, do not plunge m,
whole life in one perpetual mourning. Leav
me little hope if you do not wish me t.
dien
"Adieu, Suzanne, my precious lovem
Raymond, pray you reconsider Keel
your secret locked in your heart; l vii
never ask it, never, l swear. l will neve
think of it Our happiness will be posSibl
again. Oh, Raymond, do not refuse l
you enew how many tears have wept il
my lonely life since my childhood, and hoV
much l want to know what peace and happi
ness are"
The poor child had Raymonds hand ant
she lifted it to her lips and kissed the finger
one by one. Her sweet words came to hi
ears like distant music, and his whole beinl
thrilled at that tender cares: but the sweet
or it was the more was it his duty to leav,
her and fly. And his happiness and her
could be secured so very easily. he had bu
to keep his awful secret and open his arm
to become the husband of the woman b,
loved He had bat to say one word and h,
made no sound or gesture, for at that mo
ment he seemed to see in one flash of ligh
that whole terrible drama. And his soul re
volted at the thought of his wife, if he con
sented, being the daughter of his mother.
victim. He Questioned his conscience ne
more, for he knew he could not permit such
an abomination.
Raymond drew back and with groan Of
agony, the like of which she never heard, be
started and ran away from her and tempta
ton as though pursued by demons; and she
poor girl, held out her hands after his re
treating figure, but he was gone And wher
she could see him no more she fell swoonine
upon the moss as if he had taken her lif,
with him. She lay thus like one deaf
for an hour, and when she regained hel
seDsss she crept feebly home and to her bed
where morning found her sick and suffering
When Laroque returned at night he fount
her very ill, with every symptom Of braiI
fever. The physician ordered quiet, and sait
that he feared she had suffered some menta
shock
That night in her delirium the unfortunat,
father heard In disjointed sentences enough
to inform him that Raymond had abandoned
her, and be determined to have an explana
ton with him, and to that end drove over t,
Mer4don farm, and asked TO see Raymond
alone.
You wish to speak to me, sirl' said Ray
mond
YES, ii. De Noirville. Ny daughter Il
dangerously i'll, and in her delirium she let es
cape her enough to convince me that though
we thought your marriage would soon tax,
place, you suddenly withdraw your promise
W as that done on account of my having beeI
ad1udged guilty of murderP'
mo, and know that in spite of that yo,
were the most honest and loyal man in tn
world, and know that you have been yer,
unhappy"
My daughter loves you and will die if yol
uesert her. remembrance of the friendship
which united Your father and me, will yol
seil me why you do thisa Why your suddel
changer
"Alas sir, when asked for the honor O
her dear hand l did not know-that-
that
II was an escaped convictT'
"a convict! That, sir, did you honor unde
the circumstances.
Then what do you meanr'
"That-that you had been nv mother
lover"
Roger closed his eyes and shuddered, an,
bowed his bead in shame,
GU invoke the friendship which exista,